Gripper for printing-presses.



O. VAN DER MEERSGH.

GRIPPER FOR PRINTING PRESSES.

APPLICATION FILED IRS. 13, 1911.

Patented July 9, 1912.

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OSCAR VAN DER MEEBSCH, OERICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

GBIPPER FOR PRINTING-PRESSES.

Application filed February 18, 1911.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 9, 1912.

Serial No. 609,389.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OSCAR VAN DER Mnrinscrr, a citizen of the United States, residing at Richmond, in the county of Henrico and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grippers for Printing-Presses; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention, as will be hereinafter fully set forth in the following specifications and pointed out in the claim, relates to certain new and useful improvements in printing presses and more particularly to what are termed grippers which are designed for the purpose of retaining or temporarily securing the paper in position upon the platen incident to contact therewith by the printing form or type.

The object of my invention, among others, is to provide gripping members which will be readily and very easily adjusted to conform to the shape or size of the paper to be printed, whereby said paper will be reliably held upon the platen ready for the impression and will be retained thereon against the suction action of the form or type incident to the withdrawal thereof after an impression has been rapidly made.

A further object of my invention is to insure that the gripping devices which I have provided will at all points be brought into contact with the margin of the paper to be printed, whereby it will be impossible for the paper to casually or otherwise move out of its proper position upon the platen.

Other objects and advantages will be hereinafter made clearly apparent, reference being had to the accompanying drawings which are made a part of this application and in which,

Figure 1 shows my invention complete and indicating by dotted lines the adjustability thereof. Fig. 2 is a top edge view of my adjustable bar showing the end of the gripper arm proper. Fig. 3 is a detail showing a portion of my adjustable gripper arm. Fig. 4; is a sectional View of Fig. 3 on dotted line 4.-4L thereof.

Referring to the various features of my invention and cooperating accessories by numerals, 1 indicates the controlling bar common to all job printing presses which is journaled in the frame of the machine, as

said controlling member 1, I attach in the usual manner, as by a bolt or set screw 4;, the gripper bar 5 so formed, as indicated in Fig. 2, as to readily receive the bracket memher 6, to which an auxiliary adjustable gripper arm 7 is secured in any preferred manner, said arm 7 being preferably made in two sections, as indicated by the numerals 7 and 7", a proper form of hinge 8 being provided, as shown in Fig. 1.

By reference to Figs. 3 and 4, it will be observed that the members 7 and 7 are cut away at their edges so as to be interfitting, the approximating edges being reduced, as more clearly set forth in Fig. 4. The bracket memberG is also provided with av set screw 9, whereby said bracket may be reliably secured at any desired point upon the gripper bar 5.

As indicated by the dotted lines in Fig. 1, it will be observed that the outer end 7 may be moved downward so as to occupy the position indicated by the dotted lines, -and by a proper adjustment of the bracket 6, any size card or piece of paper may be readily acted upon the printing press and secured incident to the act of printing. By drawing the bracket downward upon the bar 5 to any desired point, the card or piece of paper to be printed, will be engaged and reliably held upon three sides thereof, which is a very important feature of my invention.

By reference to Fig. 2, it will be observed that the lower surface of the bar 5 is so disposed that it will be flush with the lower surface of the bracket 6, thereby causing the arms carried thereby to lie flat upon the surface of the paper and engage or contact therewith at all points.

The gripper bars 5, which in some form are common to job printing presses, may in all instances be readily adjusted laterally to any point so as to lie alongside of the edge of the platen or move inward thereon, as may be necessary, this being accomplished by loosening the set screw or bolt 41, as will be obvious, this feature being common to job presses, as above stated. I wish to call attention, however, to the special construction which I have provided for my gripper bar, inasmuch as each lower edge is recessed or cut away so as to properly receive the bracket 6, as shown in Fig. 2, thereby insuring that the lower surface of the bracket 6 and the lower surface of the bar are left flush with each other and thereby insuring that both may thus be brought into direct contact with the paper to be printed.

It is well known that when paper of thin quality is to be printed, the suction of withdrawing the type or form after contact is usually so great as to carry the paper with it, unless reliably held in position and by a proper adjustment of the parts of the gripper arms 7 and 7*, three sides of the paper may be engaged thereby.

Believing that the advantages and manner of constructing and using my invention have thus been made clearly apparent, further description is deemed unnecessary.

l/Vhat I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is The herein described gripping attachment for printing presses, comprising the combination with the controlling member of the press; of a gripper bar adjustably secured thereto, said bar having L-shaped cut-away portions on its under side, a bracket provided with an adjustable gripper arm, said bracket having a cutaway portion and inwardly projecting arms adapted to receive said bar whereby the lower surface of the bar will be flush with the lower surface of the bracket, said gripper arm comprising two hinged members having their opposite edges cut away and adapted to overlap each other, means carried by said bracket and adapted for engagement with said bar for locking the parts together.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

OSCAR VAN DER MEERSCH. lVitnesses:

CHARLES W. LEIGHTON, A. B. DICKINSON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

